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The Best of the Sunny Raw KitchenThe Best of Raw Freedom CommunityDelightfully Raw andDeliciously RawThese feature some of the most delectable creations to have come out of my raw kitchen and will appeal to anyone interested in a healthier diet, regardless of their level of knowledge and experience. From easy one-step everyday fare to more elaborate and involved gourmet dishes and layered cakes, they offer something for everyone and every occasion. Incredibly tasty smoothies, creamy and comforting warm soups, sexy salads, delicious nut cheezes, satisfying entrees and scrumptious guilt-free desserts...

Sunday, July 22, 2012

One of the recipes I get most complimented about is probably my Spinach & Cream Pasta Casserole; a really yummy dish I was inspired to create early on in my raw gourmet phase. It consists of several steps and therefore requires some time in the kitchen. Definitely worth every bit of it, though, I promise!

Then a couple of years ago I developed another somewhat similar pasta combo for my Delightfully Raw book that used Cultured Nut Cheeze as the base. "Wow," is all I can say! It really took things to another level, lending the finished dish a lovely depth of flavors.

Today's recipe is sort of a cross between these two. It has that 'gourmet touch' thanks to Cultured Cheeze, yet can be assembled fairly quickly.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Today I'd like to share the first video of a new recipe series that I call 'Raw in a Flash'. For various reasons, many of us don't have the time and energy to play in the kitchen for long or as much as we'd like. That doesn't have to mean that we compromise our health with junkie fast food or that we need to be ever munching on celery sticks and green mush! ;-) In 'Raw in a Flash' I will be presenting simple yet very tasty recipes that can be prepared in a short time with a minimum of equipment.

Since a good blender is a 'raw foodie's best friend' and a great time saver, it will be the appliance that will be called for the most. In that light I've decided to feature the Omni V, a relatively new 3HP blender that I discovered a year and a half ago. While its performance is very comparable to other high quality power machines on the market, at $250 it costs significantly less than these, making it the 'best bang for your buck'. This series will give you an opportunity to see for yourself how well it fares. You might also want to check out this page dedicated to the Omni.

To launch this series I've chosen to share with you guys one of my favorite smoothies. In fact, once I'm done typing this I'll be whipping up a batch for today's breakfast. ;-) It's actually a recipe that I developed for the Deliciously Raw book that I wrote especially for the Omni blender. Originally it was made with strawberries but you can easily substitute these with any other type of berries that you have on hand.

*To make almond milk, blend 1 cup almonds that were soaked overnight with 3-5 cups of water - depending on how thick you like it - in a high power blender until nuts are completely dissolved. (About 1 min. or so) Then strain mixture through a nut milk bag, a paint straining bag or even a panty hose. Refrigerated, almond milk will keep for 3 to 5 days.

Process all ingredients in a high power blender until smooth and creamy.

If necessary, adjust sweetness by adding a raw liquid sweetener, such as coconut nectar, honey or agave, and blending again briefly.

Carmella's Note: If you don't have ice cubes, you may want to add some water until the desired consistency is reached.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

I took advantage of the last of the rainy spell to crank up the 'D' - (that's dehydrator for the uninitiated) ;-) - and stock up on a few staples. With Don's precious help we made a double batch of Garlic Bread and a few trays of pizza crusts. I also experimented with a new kind of flax cracker that turned out really well. They are light, super crunchy and very tasty. Plus, the herb combination possibilities are endless!

Dehydrate at 120 for 3 hours, flip unto mesh and turn the dial down to 110. Continue dehydrating until completely dry (another 8 hours or so.)

We've been enjoying the Herb Flax Crackers with my latest variation of vegan cheeze inspired by Jo Stepaniak's awesome Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. This time I decided to be bold and replaced the usual cashews and tahini with soaked almonds and hemp seeds. It worked like a dream! The cheeze is seasoned with freshly ground black peppercorn and fresh chives from the garden. Yum, yum, yum!

Combine water and agar in a small pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often with a whisk until completely dissolved, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add mixture to the other ingredients in the blender and process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as necessary.

Add chives and black pepper and process briefly on low speed, just to incorporate.

Pour into container and cool uncovered in the refrigerator.

When completely cool, cover and chill several hours. (I usually serve it after 1 hour or so).

To serve, turn out of the container and slice.

Store covered in refrigerator. Will keep 5 to 7 days.

Enjoy!

Sunny Raw Birthday Book Sale
A reminder that you have a little less than 12 hours to take advantage of my Sunny Raw Birthday Book Sale. Find out how you can save up to 30% when purchasing my books here!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

We're having yet another 'cooped-up-in-the-trailer' day as the sky has been spilling its liquid offering since last night. It's actually been raining pretty much for the entire month of June. I've long given up on complaining about the foul weather, as it wouldn't do any good anyway besides making me even more sad. As they wisely say, "you gotta make do with the hand that's been given to you." *shrugs*

Sooooo, here I am typing this as I sip on a crazy yummy smoothie. I just HAD to pass the recipe on in case you've missed it. It was tucked away in a recent newsletter from Matthew Kenney featuring lucuma powder. (If you aren't already subscribed you can do so here.)

Considered a superfood, lucuma is the fruit of a South American tree and was revered as the 'Gold of the Incas'. I read somewhere that it's actually the most popular ice cream flavor in South America. I don't know whether that's true, but it would certainly be my personal favorite; I just love lucuma's wonderful caramel-like flavor and delicate sweetness! And it certainly is fabulous in the following tasty concoction. Definitely a new fave superfood treat around here!

If you were looking to celebrate the Fourth of July in a healthy way, this smoothie's rich dark blue color makes it a perfect contribution. ;-)

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